Special Issue for the Ohio Progress Exposition A discussion of the vital problems of lawn making and maintenance P U B L I S H ED S E V E R AL TIMES Y E A R LY BY O. M. SCOTT & S O NS C O M P A NY - SEEDSMEN - MARYSVILLE, OHIO Vol.1 Advancement in Grass Growing Keeps October 1928 No. 3 Pace With Industrial Development More Intelligent Cooperation W i th Nature Results in Better Lawns r r' nes" in which In a supplement to his enlightening b o ok "Our ~ss this country Mark Sullivan reminds us of the unparalleled p* has made in the past thirty years, he might iment upon the re- markable advances that have been made in grass g r o w i ng practices. While this subject belongs in the gereral field of landscape architec- ture, which has become a highly specialized profession, there have been particularly noteworthy discoveries bearing upon the simple, lowly art of making and maintaining lawns. For instance, since the turn of the century there have been count- less discoveries along the line of weed control. We k n ow that certain species are suppressed by a given fer- ailizer or chemical treatment. Better prac- tices in watering and mowing are now open to those who would keep their lawns in the best possible condition. New remedies for destroying soil pests such as grubs, moles, and earthworms are con- stantly being developed. Perhaps most noteworthy of the times is the present day appreciation of fine turf. A velvet-like grass underfoot has come to be a very pleasing sensation to those who aspire to the best in every- thing. Bent have come on the market. Creeping Bent, the beau brummel of lawn grasses and the choice for putting greens of practically all leading golf clubs, is a discovery of the present dec- ade. Its culture has reached the point where a score of cures for typical Bent ailments are now nationally known and a coterie of implements and applications for the planting and maintenance of We like to feel that this company oc- cupies a unique place in the general field of grass growing. It matters not whether the grass be for a home lawn, a golf course, college campus, athletic field, polo field, cemetery, or airport. In each case similar problems must be met. One of the most vital is pure seed. To the selection and thorough reclean- ing of seed this company has given fifty- eight years of thoughtful effort, and we've just started. There are still many things to learn. New uses for turf and growing demands for various types of grasses are constantly arising. Just now we have our ear to the ground for new ideas on airport grasses. Ten years ago we invaded the golf club field with rec- ommendations somewhat out of harmony with those previously held by seedsmen. More than nine hundred golf clubs now sow Scott's Seed. But our interest has always centered around the home lawn. From Maine to California lawns made the Scott way are in evidence. In Ohio alone there are thousands of such lawns and we believe they represent the finest in their respective communities. We shall welcome an opportunity to send you our literature and to have the privilege of helping you solve your lawn problems. Please note the card attached to this folder. Should Lawns be Covered in Winter ACCORDING to a majority of opin- ions, NO. In speaking of a cover we have in mind leaves, manure, straw or anything used primarily as a protec- tion. Golf clubs frequently cover a bent green by giving it a top dressing of one- fourth inch of screened soil or compost. This may also be done to a lawn with the thought of protecting the roots of the grass from undue exposure. The top soil itself will be helpful and the grass may not heave as much as it might otherwise. It isn't considered good practice, how- ever, to place a complete covering over a lawn because the grass may be encour- aged to grow at a time when according to nature's plan it should be dormant. An application of well rotted manure early in the spring before the frost is out of the ground is not a bad plan. Professor George M. McClure, of Ohio State University, expresses himself on this subject as follows: "Whether or not such a procedure is advisable de- pends to a great extent upon the kind of weather during the winter months. If the winter is an open one without much snow and with occasional warm sunshiny days, a covering of material such as straw or manure will tend to promote some growth, which later will be ad- versely affected by freezing. * * * In the latitude of Central Ohio I have al- ways felt that a good top-dressing with a mixture of well-rotted compost and sand is better than a covering of manure, straw or leaves." Plantain Killer MR. FRED NESSLY, clear out in Seattle, reads L A WN C A RE and sends this suggestion for putting Plan- tain out of business: "I dip a sharpened hardwood stick into sulphuric acid and thrust it into the center of the plantain. It kills the roots immediately and does not injure the grass. Several weeds may be killed before it is necessary to dip it again." Thank you, Mr. Nessly. Do You Want on Our Mailing List THE opportunity is yours to receive L A WN C A RE regularly, which means probably five times yearly. The object of this little bulletin is to discuss infor- mally and with the aid of experts and our many laymen friends matters that affect lawn making and care. This is the third issue. Here are a few of the sub- jects treated in the two previous issues which you may have for the asking: AUGUST. Why Fall Planting is Better; English Lawns Not Weedless; Mis-fit Mixtures; New York on Weeds! Plantain and How to Control It. SEPTEMBER. King of the Fall Pests, Crab Grass; Revamping an Old Lawn; Rate of Sowing Seed; Fall Fertilizing; Poison for Lawns. If you would like to receive without obligation future copies of L A WN C A RE be sure to fill out and mail the card at- tached to this folder. Digging Out Weeds I STARTED in by taking my pocket knife and cutting the plantain about one-half inch under the ground. Once in a while I would not cut one deep enough and it would start again. I walked over the lawn this morning (Sep- tember 27th) and found that I had prac- tically eradicated all the Plantain by the above method. During the time I was doing this work, which covered the months of July and August, I kept the lawn clipped very closely so as not to permit any of the Plantain to seed. I believe my method will completely erad- icate this pest." We appreciate the kind- ness of Mr. Fred W. Potter at Peoria, Illinois, in sending us this suggestion. Dandelion and Plantain Cure is Recommended W E are indebted to Mr. Edward M. Koch, of Canton, Ohio, for this contribution: ?T do not know what you have experienced in the use of Iron Sul- fate (better known as Copperas Crys- tals) for Plantain and Dandelion. This chemical used one pound to one and one- half gallons of water sprinkled heavily on Plantain and Dandelion will abso- lutely destroy these pests. The grass will be burned for a short time but will come back in better shape. The leaves of the weeds become putrid and mushy in a very short time and the plants dis- appear inside of a week." Most of the articles we have read on the above subject have advised the spray- ing on of the Iron Sulfate solution but according to Mr. Koch it may be sprin- kled on without permanent injury to the grass. Has anyone else tried this remedy with similar results? Late Mowing T 7 0R the last fall mowing of a lawn i the blades should be set high. Close cutting at a time when the grass has practically stopped growing makes the lawn more subject to winter-killing. We are convinced that the way grass is mowed has much to do with its excel- lence. Frequent and close mowing in the early spring and summer encourages the grass to spread and thicken. Higher cut- ting during the hot summer and fall pro- vides more protection to the roots from the burning sun. There is some differ- ence of opinion as to the advisability of using a catcher or letting the clippings fall. If the grass is long the clippings should be removed by all means. During the wet weather they should also be caught because they rot on the ground and often smother the grass. At other times there is some advantage in letting the clippings fall. They have fertilizing value and during very hot weather afford protection to the grass roots. Prepare Now for WHILE New Spring Lawns it is the opinion of all grass authorities that fall is the proper time to sow lawn seed, there are many instances where spring seeding must be done. In such cases it is always an advantage to prepare the ground in the preceding fall if possible. If you plan to start a new lawn next spring, spade up the ground now and let it stand over the winter. Especially is this advisable if you have a heavy clay soil. In the spring as soon as the ground dries out suffici- ently, start to work it. The weeds that start to sprout can thus be kept out. Some thoroughly rotted manure may be applied as the seed bed is prepared or a good fertilizer used. The earlier the seed is sowed in the spring the better chance you have of obtaining a satisfactory lawn. This would be the ideal program if the ground did not become too uneven during the winter: Prepare the seed bed now, fine the soil just as if you were go- ing to seed immeriately, then sow very early in the spring before the frost is out of the ground or even on top of the snow. If your grass gets a good start before summer it has a much better chance of withstanding the trying months of July and August. Fertilizing Easier Than Weeding SO says F. C. Cannon, who sends his opinion all the way from South Bristol, Maine. "I am thoroughly con- vinced," writes Mr. Cannon, "after fif- teen years' experience with a city lawn, that the proper use of Sulfate of Am- monia and a complete fertilizer is the only way to get good lawns. We have tried hand weeding, taking strip after strip three feet wide and going at it on our hands and knees. Each summer we would repeat this two or three times spending hundreds of hours in weeding. Finally we got best results by fertilizing, rolling while wet and close cutting. I believe in watering as little as possible during the spring and early summer. Watering when done should be four to seven days apart and then very thor- oughly. Sulfate of Ammonia on dry grass causes burning, so I mix it with top soil, rake it in thoroughly and then soak thoroughly with the hose. August first I apply a complete fertilizer." (Such a fertilizer is Scott's Turf Builder.) We don't blame Mr. Cannon for giving up that hand and knee weeding. He uses his head and gets better results. Leaves for Protection M R. ROBERT RAMSEY, of New York City, asked us recently what we thought of allowing leaves that had fallen, to remain on the grass over the winter. Our advice was to rake or sweep the leaves off when dry. Wet leaves mat so tightly that they keep air from get- ting to the grass and it is apt to be smothered out. Such a covering would be especially bad for new grass and it was a brand new lawn Mr. Ramsey was mak- ing. It takes leaves so long to decompose that no fertilizing benefit could possibly result simply by allowing the leaves to remain on the grass through the winter months. Two Free Booklets IN addition to L A WN CARE, which it is our plan to publish several times yearly, we are always glad to send to those interested in the general subject of grass growing and maintenance THE SEEDING AND CARE OF LAWNS a nd BENT LAWNS. The latter explains in detail the methods of planting Bent and the advan- tages of each. The first named booklet acquaints the home owner with the vital facts about lawn making. It starts with soil preparation and takes up the various steps in successful grass growing. These two booklets are yours for the asking. Just check the attached card, sign your name and mail. No postage is required.